Pietà Altarpiece

Castile, 15th century
Tempera and gold on wood, with engaged frame
Metropolitan Museum of Art, accession # 41.190.27

The artist has paid particular attention to unifying the design of the altarpiece. In the background of all four outer panels a cloth-of-gold hanging partly covers a half-height wall and a "window" opening onto an exterior scene. Like the body of Jesus, all four saints' figures are noticeably elongated. And all but St. Michael stand on identical tile floors.

Furthermore, a chiasmic arrangement of colors and shapes tightens the composition. St. Andrew's red tunic and blue mantle correspond to St. Peter's garb, where those colors are reversed. And the poles that Andrew holds in the shape of a cross saltire, X-shaped are echoed by Peter's his impossibly long crossed keys. A similar chiasm is formed by the red cloaks worn by Saints Michael and John the Baptist.

The six panels are discussed on these pages:

• Top left: St. Michael
• Top center: The Pietà
• Top right: St. Andrew
• Bottom left: St. Peter
• Bottom center: Madonna and Child
• Bottom right: St. John the Baptist

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Read more about images of The Pietà.

• Home Page
• The Lamenation and the Pietà
• This Picture

Photographed at the museum by Richard Stracke, shared under Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike license.